Improvement in portable book-holders



HERMAN A; OESTERLE. Portable Book Holder. N 121,191., HQ Patented Nov. 21,1871.

UNITED STATES HERMAN A. OESTERLE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN PORTABLE BOOK-HOLDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 121,191, dated November 21, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN A. OESTERLE, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improved Book-Holder and Carrier, of which the following is a specification:

My invention consists of a combination of appliances, too fully explained hereafter to need preliminary description, and forming a handy and eflective apparatus, wherewith books can be retained and carried about by scholars.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my book-holder and carrier; Fig. 2, a vertical section of the same, showing the books secured by the handle Fig. 3, the

same as Fig. 1, illustrating the mode of releasing the books and Fig. 4, a plan view.

A and A are two bars of metal, the former being grooved at the top and the latter on the under side for the reception and lateral retention of a stop, 13, by means of which the .bars and books are bound together in the manner which I will now proceed to describe. One end of the strap is secured to the bar A at as by being passed upward through a slot in the same, then downward through another slot, the extreme end being turned upward into a third slot, as distinctly seen in Figs. 2 and 3, this folding of the end of the strap and its passage through the slots sufficing to attach it to the bar A without any other fastening. The strap passes down the ends 00 of the books, between the forked end of the lower bar A, along the groove in the under side of the same then upward across the opposite end a of the books; thence over the end of an arm, (I, forming part of the handle D; and thence along the groove of the upper bar A and beneath a staple, e, hinged to the said bar. The arm (1 forms a part of the handle D, which is hinged to two lugs, f f, on the upper bar A, and a cam or eccentric, m, is formed on the handle near the pin, which hinges it to the bar, so that when the handle is depressed, as seen in Fig. 2, the cam will bind the strap to the bar A, the strap being released from the pressure of the cam on elevating the handle, as shown in Fig. 3. The bars and straps having been adjusted to the books, as shown in Fig. 3, while the handle D is elevated, the strap B is first made comparatively tight by pulling at the loose outer end of the same, and then the handle is depressed and the hinged staple placed over the hooked end of the handle, as shown in Fig. 2. On depressing the handle the cam m binds the strap to the bar A, and at the same time the upward-moving arm (I tightens the strap so efl'ectually that the books are tightly pressed by and between the two bars, the whole forming a compact package, conveniently carried by the handle D. I11 order to release the books all that is necessary is to depress the outer end of the handle and move away from its hook the staple e and then elevate the handle.

It will be seen that my improved book-retainer and carrier can be applied to any number of books usually carried by scholars, the strap being long enough.

In the drawing the ends of the bars are forked for the passage of the strap; but in place of forking the bars at the ends they may-have simple eyes for receiving the strap.

Although I prefer the hinged staple as ameans of securing the outer end of the handle, other fastening devices may be substituted for the said staple.

I claim as my invention The combination of two bars, A and A, strap B, and a handle, D, hinged to the upper bar, and constructed substantially in the manner described, so as to serve the threefold purpose of a handle, strap-tightener, and strap-retainer.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

H. A. OESTERLE. 

